Statement on Science and Technology for the Third Sessionof the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
This statement presents recommendations related to science and technology in support of theoutcomes of the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. It includes
emerging priority issues in support of the implementation of the Hyogo Framework forAction (Annex 1) and a report on the work of the ISDR Scientific and Technical Committee(STC) (Annex 2).
The statement is prepared by the ISDR Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) based onwork with scientific, technical and thematic networks, the Global Assessment Report 2011(GAR), the Mid Term Review of the Hyogo Framework for Action, the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events andDisasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX), the outcomes of the International
Disaster Risk Conference (IDRC, Davos 2010), the work of the Integrated Research on
Disaster Risk (IRDR) programme and many other scientific and technical partners. A
preparatory workshop for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Third Session onscience and technology was held in Pavia, Italy, 5-6 April 2011.
This statement also builds on the report ’Reducing Disaster Risks through Science: issues andaction’ presented at the Second Session of the Global Platform by the ISDR STC. The reportis available at: www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2009/background/documents
Recommendations
Recognizing that the insufficient level of implementation of known disaster risk reduction
principles and existing knowledge contributes to high disaster risk in many countries.
Noting that recent disasters have stressed the existence of emerging, interrelated risks withcascading effects highlighting the importance of adopting an integrative risk reduction anddisaster management process based on scientific and technical evidence.
The STC recommends that governments, national platforms and science councils, research
institutions, the private sector, local communities, NGOs and the many more institutions
involved in disaster risk reduction consider the following points in their actions to support theimplementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action and the outcomes of the Third Sessionof the Global Platform for the coming biennium:
1. Intensify efforts to follow a science based decision making process in disaster risk
reduction through:− Ensuring the scientific and technical knowledge is mainstreamed into the activities
of ISDR national and regional platforms and into the work of sector and local-1-based institutions responsible for disaster risk reduction, particularly on risk
assessment and cost-benefit analysis;− Promoting local capacity building for fast transfer of emerging knowledge andtechnologies into practice and provide feedback to science;− Promoting the implementation of validated, evidence-based, best practices which
are simple, do-able, economically affordable, socially acceptable and ecologicallycompatible;− Promoting enhanced collaboration between scientific institutions and networks insupport of disaster risk reduction and between research and practice through anannual disaster risk reduction science forum to be organised in collaboration withrelevant initiatives such as IDRC and IRDR.
2. Support a process of comprehensive and rigorous review of the status of science andtechnology for disaster risk reduction, to be carried out in collaboration with IRDR,
IRDC and other mechanisms and the results of which should be presented at sessionsof the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction through:− Developing recommendations on advancing disaster risk reduction knowledge
based on the findings emerging from the IPCC Special Report on Extreme Events(SREX);− Contributing with guidance and support regarding emerging applied science andtechnical issues for the next GAR 2013 based on a review of the role of scienceand technology initiatives in GAR 2011;− Reviewing the findings of the report ’Reducing Disaster Risks through Science:
issues and action’ presented at the Second Session of the Global Platform by theISDR STC for the 2013 Global Platform Session and consider how
recommendations have been implemented;− Establishing a process for a comprehensive review of science and technology fordisaster risk reduction leading up to the discussion on the future of disaster risk
reduction after 2015.
3. Ensure that national, regional and international funding mechanisms for science andtechnology support the development of integrated research into disaster risk
management, particularly in disaster prone developing countries and including
comparative transnational and transregional research. In particular, it is suggested tohold a science and technical forum at the fourth session of the Global Platform in2013.

Prepared in Geneva, May 2011-2-Annex 1
Emerging priority areas for science and technology for the ISDR and in support of theimplementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action
The Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) of the United Nations International Strategyfor Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) proposes emerging priority areas in terms of science andtechnology for disaster risk reduction to serve as a basis to guide future work of the ISDR andin support of the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).
a. Understanding of the structural, social, health, environmental, political, and financial
vulnerability drivers of risk
There is still strong need for better understanding of risk and emerged across all types ofhazards:- Strengthening research on resilience: How to quantify? How to increase?
- Social protection instruments to increase resilience locally- Modalities for multi-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary research- Modelling disaster triggering mechanics- Convey ideas, including traditional views as way to reach communities- Risk governance challenges in political terms
b. Standardizing and enhancing global modeling methods for understanding hazard
risks
Progress has been achieved to refine and harmonize methods for assessing risk of naturalhazards. However, there is need to clarify for policy makers that model does not produce
exact predictions because of difficulties and problems to be solved as follows.
- Quantitative risk assessment on relationships and interactions with different hazards
and multi-risk environment- Improving spatial and temporal resolution of earth observation systems- Establishing some consistent framework for comparison of risks associated withdifferent types of natural- and man-made hazards, as well as multi-hazard, multi-risk
assessment- Promoting an open access with open source software, transparent tools and accessible
global datasets- Close interaction with the private insurance sector and a community of experts andusers, who are involved in designing and implementing the hazard risk assessment
procedures, software, tools, methods, data collection- Educating the society and policy makers on the strengths and limitations of themodels- Pull of society for information and understanding, rather than push of informationc. Methodologies for assessing disaster losses and understanding the causes
Assessing disaster losses and understanding the causes is another key emerging priority area.
The advances in systematic risk data depend heavily on progress in approaches to collecteffectively and systematically disaster loss data.

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-Harmonization of instruments, tools and institutions for systematically recording anddocumenting disaster losses
Enhance data availability on local losses with a challenge in national compilation
efforts as well as some framework for standardization of methods and comparisons of
the products
Better integration of databases of losses across different hazard types with multihazard and multi-risk assessments
Applying and reviewing a potential global frame for reviewing the causes of different
disaster events based on real case studies
Ensuring the availability of sufficiently robust disaster event information

These are related to capacities and institutional challenges rather than issues related toscience and technical methods and tools.
d. Enhancement of hazard predicting and early warning systems
Great progress has been made in the modeling, prediction and early warning of several
hazards, especially in weather and climate early warning led within the WMO systems or
national/private weather service in each country, while those related to Tsunami, floods,landslides, volcano eruption, etc. are obtained from some other related international/ domesticorganizations. To be able to take full advantage of the available good practices and lessons
from the prediction and early warning systems, we need:- Improvement in predicting specific time, location and magnitude rather thanprobability based, where feasible.
- Raising public awareness and improve education of the society and policy makers bygiving good practices and lessons from historical events in all over the world- Assessing, compiling and disseminating indigenous, traditional knowledge andtechnologies for early warning of hazardous events such as tsunami, tornado, flood,
debris flow and volcano eruption.
e. Strengthening research on interdependent, cascading events
There is need to enhance research on risk and its reduction during a series of interdependentand cascading events in an area.
- Clarifying cause and effect of successive events such as earthquake and tsunami,
rainfall and flood, earthquake and landslide, rainfall and debris flow, and volcano
eruption and haze
- The interrelation between natural and technological hazards- Clarifying impacts of natural hazards to technological/social system and resultant
possible technological disasters or societal disasters.
- Assessment of total damages through the cascading events
Research is required at all levels yet capacity of many developing countries to undertake suchresearch is relatively low. There is need to enhance the capacity of the developing countries
not only to be able to undertake the required risk research and also to be able to takemaximum advantage of available science and technology in any parts world to reduce localrisks in support of HFA.

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UNISDR Scientific and Technical Committee - Summary of activities 2009-2011
Principle activities are summarised below:
The UNISDR requested volunteers from the Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) tocontribute to the joint Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and UNISDR Joint
Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate
Change Adaptation (SREX) available at http://www.ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/extremessr/index.html . Two members of the STC are Co-ordinating Lead Authors of this report. The
report is due for publication in early 2012. .
A member of the UNISDR STC was invited to join the Hyogo Framework for Action Mid
Term Review Advisory Group and she participated in the meetings which has resulted in thefinal report – available at http://www.preventionweb.net/files/18197_midterm.pdf
The UNISDR requested volunteers from the STC to contribute case studies to the HyogoFramework for Action Mid Term Review. Two case studies were offered and these are:•Evidence for Disaster Risk Management – Information and knowledge needs forpolicy makers and field – available at
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/18197_205murray.evidencefordisasterriskma.pdf•Assessing the role of vertical and horizontal communication in disaster risk reduction
learning and planning: The case of the Spanish Tous dam-break, 1982 available at
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/18197_204chabayetal.assessingtheroleofver.pdf

A member of the STC joined the Global Assessment Report 2011 (GAR) Advisory Boardand contributed as a Review Editor to the report.
http://www.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/2011/en/home/index.html
The UNISDR became a co-sponsor, with the International Council for Science and theInternational Social Sciences Council, of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR)
Programme which is developing an integrated research program. A member of the UNISDR
Scientific and Technical Committee is Chair of the IRDR Science Committee and UNISDR
is represented on the Steering Committee. http://www.irdrinternational.org/scientific.php
The UNISDR STC participated in a Preparatory Workshop on Science and Technology for
the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Third Session at Pavia, Italy on 5-6 April
2011. This meeting addressed a wide range of issues including hearing the feedback from theHyogo Framework for Action Mid Term Review and the related case studies. They also
heard a review of progress in science and technology for Disaster Risk Reduction. All thepresentation and outcomes of the Pavia workshop are available at:
http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/trainings-events/events/v.php?id=19684-5-